Cadences [cake au] ✔

// seventeen //

Chapter 17

Calum's POV

By Saturday morning, I'd seen no sign of Luke and whilst I was seriously pissed, strangely, I actually began to really miss his touch.

In the past, human touch always surprised me because I didn't get to experience it much. Maybe a little affection from my parents and Audrey, sometimes Mali, but mostly I was alone and people tended to leave it at that. Luke on the other hand had actively sought me out and perhaps that was what astonished me the most.

Audrey popped by after lunch to let me know the coast was clear – she'd booked my parents a weekend retreat saying that she'd make sure I didn't leave the house despite knowing her job was on the line. However, I knew my parents trusted Audrey a lot – she'd never made a wrong move the whole time she'd been working for us and I suppose her hard work ended up paying off.

I found a backpack, stuffed a set of clothes in along with my spare wallet that had at least two hundred dollars cash inside (so my parents wouldn't be able to track my credit card if I used it). Audrey had bought me a return plane ticket already, making me promise that I'd be back before 7pm on Sunday. That gave me at least several hours with Luke, who I thought I'd surprise on Saturday evening after my shift.

To think that I'd finally get to see my blonde tattooed punk was just so overwhelming that I couldn't contain my excitement, or my smile.

~

The bar's atmosphere was otherworldly as I stepped inside for my three hours of contemporary piano playing. It was my first experience inside an adult world, where fellow university students, professors and couples were sitting drinking shots or beers or whatever else the bar offered.

"Oh, hello – you must be Calum Hood! I'm Fred, the one who interviewed you – come on in," a man in his thirties welcomed, shaking my hand and leading me into the main restaurant which was decorated profusely with artwork and empty wine bottles stacked as room dividers. "It was a shame to have missed you last week – we really hoped to hear you sooner but today works well too."

I smiled in response, sitting down at the piano. Thankfully, the lights weren't in my face or anything like they usually were at concerts – it was dim enough for me to play comfortably, and bright enough to see the keys.

Beginning with a Debussy piece, I transitioned into a lighter one by Japanese composer Yukie Nishimura and played some upbeat compositions of my own before ending on a somewhat grander one by Saint-Saëns.

It neared 8pm and I headed over to Fred who was behind the bar discussing something with another staff member with a worried expression on his face.

"I'm telling you, if he doesn't turn up then we're in deep shit!"

The other guy rolled his eyes. "Can't you just call a back-up performer? You must have plenty!"

"They're all busy today – do you think I haven't tried calling them already? Jesus, why does his organisation have to be this awful when he's so good..."

I cleared my throat, making myself visible to them.

"Oh hello Calum, thanks for playing. You can go now – oh help yourself to a drink if you like..." Fred said dismissively, burying his face in his hands.

"What's going on? Is the next performer late?" I questioned.

"Yeah. At eight we always have a singer who comes to perform for us, but as you can see, he isn't here."

"Do you want me to continue playing then?"

"No, no it's fine... wait, do you sing?"

I widened my eyes, biting my lip as I replied, "Kinda."